Kiddie pool in the Summer with high hydro

[Skysue]

Hi ladies,

What do you do in the Summer for water play? I set up a pool for the 1st time yesterday and the kids put sand and dirt into it! My 1 year olds were mostly the offenders but my 2x 3 year olds were helping a bit too!

I see that the pool water really can't be kept for a few days? What are you ladies doing? the cost to fill it will be crazy, my pool takes 30 liters of water.

Should I just have Thurs & Fridays pool days??

[sunnydays]

I can't use a kiddie pool after seeing what the kids did with the water table; they all try to drink the water...yuck! I have decided against a kiddie pool for this reason, but if I did use one I would just put an inch or two of water in it for safety reasons anyway...then it would be easy to dump and refill as well.

[sunnydays]

I forgot to add that we go to the splash pad frequently and sometimes I set of the sprinkler ( I have a water caterpillar sprayer) and they play with that.

[playfelt]

I don't do water play at all. I leave that up to the parents. Most have access to a splash pad and can go after supper. I have too many little ones to take responsibility for water. My own child has special needs and the slippery grass is a safety issue for her for walking. There is plenty for the kids to do outside without the water.

[Play and Learn]

If it's super hot here, then I fill up a blow-up baby pool where they can cool off. It gets dumped at the end of the day. I will also put on the sprinkler - but moreso to give the grass some water!

[mamaof4]

I would stick with a sprinkler- we have a super fun one that looks like flowers and I leave it really low so the little ones do not get intimidated

[Judy Trickett]

I would be careful with the kiddie pool. Most insurance companies will not allow ANY pools. Not even a kiddie pool. And, they can void your insurance if you even just have a pool on your property - doesn't matter if it has ever been used or not.

[Play and Learn]

I would be careful with the kiddie pool. Most insurance companies will not allow ANY pools. Not even a kiddie pool. And, they can void your insurance if you even just have a pool on your property - doesn't matter if it has ever been used or not.

Insurance company won't let us have a real pool - this is just a baby pool where you can stick your feet in. NO way in hell they could possibly drown with it! If I can find a picture of it I will....

[Play and Learn]

http://pregnancyandbaby.she knows.com/blog/baby-fun-games/lil-squirt-baby-swimming-pool/

Something similar to this but with more toys on it.

[KingstonMom]

very cool pool playandlearn!! My LO would love that!!

I currently have a small pool, about 1 foot high, it has soft edges, not a blowup kind, not a hard shell. I asked parent permission before setting it up and showed them what it looked like. I still am very cautious and only use it with the kids when my husband is home to an extra pair of hands.
I would like to switch to a smaller hard shell pool and dump it every night. The sprinkler is also a good idea, but my patio deck takes up most of my yard, and i am worried about running kids slipping and cutting their head open on the wood patio or something.

[Skysue]

http://pregnancyandbaby.she knows.com/blog/baby-fun-games/lil-squirt-baby-swimming-pool/

Something similar to this but with more toys on it.

That is super cool! Where did you get it! I will just have the bigger pool for my daughter on weekends as I hate the clean up. I don't fill it very deep and the kids are never left alone, ever!

[Play and Learn]

My mom bought it for my sister a couple of years ago at Winners. When my sisters kids became too big, she gave it to me for the daycare.

Sorry I can't be of more help. Maybe try Toys R Us?

[daycare woman]

After the incident in Orleans, drowning in the pool 2 yr old, no pools even kiddie, they just said on the news all it takes is not watching for 1 minute and a small child can drown in a small amount of water. Parents ask in an interview and I say no open bodies of water, just a sprinkler if I feel the need which normally I don't cause its a lot of freakin work dressing undressing dressing, I don't get that much pay. Water tables are great cause they get wet but it dries before they go home. I bought a little tikes one sand and water table, but its all water. They love it!

[FS2011]

Personally, I love water play and a hot summer day means I get to be in the sun! So heck ya, we bring out 2 kiddie pools! The kids Love it!! But yes, it's instantly full of grass and dirt so it's a messy job. I fill them up a couple inches of water and they run back and forth between them. We usually hose off and prepare to get cleaned up after about an hour of playing. Dont want them to get to hot out there. It takes a long time to clean the dirt off them tho but I don't mind because like I said, break and sun time for me!

[mom-in-alberta]

We will absolutely be filling up the pools this summer!! We have a large 8000 gallon one, that is only used for older kids when there are 2 or more adults to supervise and all kids have appropriate swim and safety gear. And we fill the little splash pools for the small kids. We also use the sprinkler quite often. I am lucky in that we are on a well, so I don't need to worry about a water bill. Phewf!
And as much as I understand the safety concerns, I think it's like that saying about guns.... "Pools don't drown kids, a moment of inattentiveness drowns kids". I am vigilant about making sure there are 2 pairs of eyes at all times.
Perhaps if you are worried about constantly filling the pool; you can go and buy a tarp to fit over top. Then just weigh it down, or bungee/ peg it down. It won't be perfect, you will still have junk get in (just from using it!). But you may be able to get away with filling it fewer times?

[sunnydays]

After the incident in Orleans, drowning in the pool 2 yr old, no pools even kiddie, they just said on the news all it takes is not watching for 1 minute and a small child can drown in a small amount of water. Parents ask in an interview and I say no open bodies of water, just a sprinkler if I feel the need which normally I don't cause its a lot of freakin work dressing undressing dressing, I don't get that much pay. Water tables are great cause they get wet but it dries before they go home. I bought a little tikes one sand and water table, but its all water. They love it!

Any advice on how to keep them from drinking the water? I've put my water table away as it just becomes a giant slobber and snot sharing venue!

[playfelt]

The trick with water play is to restrict to kids old enough to use it properly without the germ sharing. That is why I got rid of most of our sensory bin stuff - just too many hands covered in snotty stuff sifting through it.

[Skysue]

We will absolutely be filling up the pools this summer!! We have a large 8000 gallon one, that is only used for older kids when there are 2 or more adults to supervise and all kids have appropriate swim and safety gear. And we fill the little splash pools for the small kids. We also use the sprinkler quite often. I am lucky in that we are on a well, so I don't need to worry about a water bill. Phewf!
And as much as I understand the safety concerns, I think it's like that saying about guns.... "Pools don't drown kids, a moment of inattentiveness drowns kids". I am vigilant about making sure there are 2 pairs of eyes at all times.
Perhaps if you are worried about constantly filling the pool; you can go and buy a tarp to fit over top. Then just weigh it down, or bungee/ peg it down. It won't be perfect, you will still have junk get in (just from using it!). But you may be able to get away with filling it fewer times?

Very well said! Yesterday I had a playdate with another daycare Mom and we went for a trail walk and to the beach with 12 kids only 4 under 3! We had a blast! If i couldn't do that 3 times I week i would die! LOL

[lilac]

My kids are 3.5-7. I have a blow up kiddie pool. I also have a sand box in the back yard. The first day I filled it up, the kids would go in the pool, and then go roll in the sand box (??). and then back in the pool etc, etc. I now have a rule that sand stays in the sand box, grass stays on the ground, and the water stays in the pool!!! If we are playing in the pool or in the sprinkler, we are not going in the sandbox til we are dry!!!

So, but Judy, you say that insurance companies will not allow that? not even a kiddie pool?

[zen39]

I love water play in the summer. Great way to entertain the little ones since we spend so much time outside and now with this heat, it really cools everyone down. I have different sprinklers that I change out daily. We have a little kiddie pool, that they can splash around in, plus i have a water table set up. Sometimes we'll also set up buckets with water and sponges and paint brushes too.

We have a splash pad nearby as well, but in the morning there are too many other home daycares there and it tends to get overrun with too many children. So we'll head there after nap time when it's quieter. But most often, I prefer water play in my backyard.

[Play and Learn]

So, but Judy, you say that insurance companies will not allow that? not even a kiddie pool?

It depends on your insurance company. Be sure that they tell you everything. The insurance company that we're with has nothing against pools, so I'm good to go.